Filters Necessary!

Whether you own a car, air conditioner or just about any motor operated device, you are going to need a filter to keep it clean and working properly.  Filters serve a very essential purpose in many areas of life.  They keep out the trash or “gunk” from the engine or motor.  Without a filter, the lifespan of the motor on one’s car would be greatly reduced.  Filters are also necessary to stay clean and pure If Christians are going to view and participate in modern media.  With the amount of foul language, immodesty and ungodly scenes on TV, it is important that we filter what we watch.  Thankfully, there are some good filters that will help the Christian to stay pure and enjoy certain types of entertainment media.  Here are three filters that would be good for every Christian home to have.

            The first is a foul language filter for Television.  TVGuardian has created an amazing product that will let you watch TV in real-time and still filter out the foul language.  From the TVGuardian website they explain this process saying, “TVGuardian monitors the hidden closed-caption text in the background while you watch TV. Each word is checked against a dictionary of more than 150 offensive words and phrases. When a foul word or phrase is detected, TVG automatically mutes the offensive language. A profanity-free version of the phrase is displayed during the mute.”  Having owned a TVGuardian myself, I can assure you it is one of the best products to remove profanity and still enjoy the show you are watching.  This product cost about $200 dollars and is well worth the investment.  You can learn more about this product at www.tvguardian.com  Along with a TV Guardian another filter that is helpful for viewing DVDs is ClearPlay  The ClearPlay website states, “ClearPlay is a DVD player that enables your family to enjoy all of the great Hollywood movies you’ve always wanted to watch—without all of the junk you don’t want.”  You can learn more about this product at www.clearplay.com

            Another filter that is extremely important is K-9 web protection for the internet.  The internet is filled with pornography and all sorts of ungodliness.  As a parent, you surely don’t want your children accessing (either on purpose or through a pop-up) such vile websites.  How can one prevent this from happening?  It’s simple—install a filter that checks the page for you and approves or disapproves of the website based on your preset criteria.  This is exactly what the K-9 web filter does.  Blue Coat Technologies describes how this filter works saying, “K9 is not antivirus, anti-spam or firewall software. K9 is a Web filter that determines where the computer user can go inside your Web browser.”  The nice thing about this program is YOU limit the amount of places your web browser can or cannot go.  The categories you can choose include blocking sites on abortion, pornography, gambling, and racism or hate sites and much more.  And, the best thing about this product is it is FREE! This product is also downloadable from the Itunes store as a free app for Ipod, Iphone, and Ipad.  The website from which you can download this filter is www.k9webprotection.com    I encourage you to look into these products and filter what you and your children view or listen to on TV or the Internet.

Where is your Treasure?

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;   but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.   For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19-21).  With these words our Lord teaches us the folly of material wealth and the splendor of heavenly riches.   There are many worldly temptations that the Devil throws before us each day: money, power, luxuries, etc,.  Jesus teaches us that none of these are more important than our eternal soul.  Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and looses his own soul?  Or, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Mk. 8:36-37).  Nothing is more important than your soul!  Notice several reasons why we must not put our focus on earthly treasures.

            Worldly Treasures Decay.  No matter how big a home you build, it will one day rot and decay into debris.  No matter how much money you horde up, you will one day die and your money cannot go with you.  In reality, all that exists or ever will exist will one day be destroyed by fire (See 2 Peter 3:9-12).  Why would you want to put your focus on earthly things that will fade away and amount to nothing????

            Wordly Treasures Darken.  One of the major problems with a worldly focus is it blocks our view of what is really important.  Howard Hughes is a modern example of this.  Although he was a multi-millionaire, history reveals to us in his last days he was a sad recluse with no real self-worth.  Jesus teaches us not to let anything get in our way of going to Heaven when he says, “Seek first the kingdom of God…” (Matt. 6:33).  Are worldly treasures obstructing your view of what’s really important?

            Wordly Treasures Divide.  One thing is certain about worldly treasures and God; you can’t have the best of both.  Worldly treasures definitely divide your allegiance.  Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24).  A person cannot have the best of both worlds is because Jesus will take nothing less than 100% of your devotion (Mark 12:30ff).  Are the treasures of this world dividing your allegiance to God?

David, A Leader in Purity

Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated, “What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.”  This statement defines the real essence of leadership.  Great leaders are not defined by past accomplishments of future endeavors.  Great leaders are distinctly remembered for their integrity of heart.  For example, David was a great military leader.  His leadership accomplishments range from the defeat of Goliath to the conquering of the enemy nations.  Yet, when we think of King David it is not those accomplishments that stand out.  David is best remembered for that one statement God made concerning him: “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will” (Acts 13:22).   David will forever be remembered as a leader after God’s own heart.  What  made David a leader in purity?  And, what characteristics can we possess to be leaders in purity?

True leaders are pure in principle.  Peter Marshall, who served as U. S. Senate Chaplain in 1947, is famous for making the following statement, “Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.”  David was dedicated to doing the right thing, even when it was difficult.  For example, in a cave in the wilderness of En Gedi David could have very easily assassinated his enemy Saul.  He came very close to doing so—so close that he cut a corner of David’s robe off.  Yet, the Scripture records that David’s heart was troubled for almost taking Saul’s life because he was the anointed of the Lord (1 Sam. 24).  Even when it would have promoted his own wellbeing, David did what was right regardless of the cost.  We need more leaders, like David, who God said, he “kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes” (1 Kings 14:8). True leaders are committed to doing right no matter what!

True leaders are pure in the pattern they follow.  Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung made a correct observation when he said, “The true leader is always led.”  David was a leader of purity because he was led by the right source—God & His Word.  David trusted in the Scriptures as God’s inspired guide to man (2 Sam. 23:1-2).  In the transporting of the Ark and death of Uzzah, David learned very quickly that you must “consult Him about the proper order” of things (1 Chron. 15:13).  From that time forward David learned to say, “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long” (Ps. 25:5).  How wonderful it would be if God’s leaders (elders, preachers, bible class teachers) said with Samuel, “Speak Lord Your Servant Hears” (1 Sam. 3:9).  The church needs more leaders who live their life by a “Thus Saith the Lord.”

True leaders are not perfect, they are pure in penitence.  Too often public leaders, when caught in sin, are forced to admit their wrongs but are never seen as truly penitent.  For example, what do the names Elliot Spitzer & Jim McGreevy have in common?  Both were high profile political figures who were caught in heinous sexual sins.  So was King David!  How do these men differ from David and his sin?  Many times, when leaders are caught in sin they are quick to admit an “oversight in judgment” but never make any real repentance.  Many leaders have the attitude popularized by Bill Cinton, “I may have smoked but I never inhaled.”  Such was not the attitude of King David.  When confronted with his sin he said, “I have sinned” (1 Sam. 12:13).  It is evident from Psalm 51 that David’s penitence was genuine.  In that Psalm David exclaimed, “For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment” (Psalm 51:3-4).  David was a great leader, because when he sinned (as we all do) he repented openly and took steps to make it right with God and others.

Truly, David was a leader in purity because of his pure principles, pure pattern and pure penitence.  Oh, how we need more leaders like King David in the Lord’s church today.   We need more leaders who will say “Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path…” (Ps. 27:11).  God, give us leaders in purity!

The Sinner’s Prayer Won’t Save Anyone!

There is much confusion in our world about salvation. For example, followers of John Calvin teach that people are predestined to go to Heaven or Hell and there is nothing they can do to change that. Catholicism teaches that one must follow some teachings of men that are not in Scripture to be saved. Much of the Protestant world teaches that all a person has to do is believe in Jesus and he will be saved. Billy Graham and many in the Baptist faith teach that to be saved you must believe in Jesus and say the sinner’s prayer. Does the sinner’s prayer save? Is there a Scriptural example of someone saying the sinner’s prayer and being saved? Let’s take just a moment to examine what the Bible says about the sinner’s prayer and salvation.

On Billy Graham’s website and in his sermons he always encourages people to say the following prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name. Amen” (http://www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp). At the conclusion of this prayer people are left with the impression that they are NOW saved. Is this God's way of Salvation?  Absolutely not!   The sinner’s prayer is a damnable doctrine because it causes people to have a false sense of hope in something that the Bible does not teach. Allow me to illustrate. Where in the Bible do you find the sinner’s prayer recorded? Between the following parenthesis are all the passages that teach salvation is through the sinner’s prayer (                                                                   ). Do you see the point? Friend, you can search the Scriptures from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 and you will not find the above prayer or any prayer like it. Since the sinner’s prayer is not recorded in Scripture, then it cannot be Jesus’ way of salvation. The Bible teaches that we must do everything by the authority of Christ (Col. 3:17). The Apostle Paul said that we must not go beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6). John warned us not to add to or take away from God’s Word (Rev. 22:18-19). Please listen very carefully, no where in Scripture will you every find one person saying the sinner’s prayer and being saved. It’s just not there. In fact, the only example we have of a person who said a many of “sinner’s prayers” is the Apostle Paul. In Acts 9:9-12 we are told that Paul was praying and fasting after the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Yet, even though Paul said a many of sinner’s prayer over that three day period, he was still not saved. Paul had something else to do to be saved. And, so does every person who has been duped by false teachers into thinking that belief and prayer alone will save.

What else did Paul have to do to be saved? In Acts 22:16 Paul was told “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Paul had to be baptized to have his sins washed away. Jesus taught, “He that believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mk. 16:16). When people asked Peter what they needed to do to be saved he said, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Friend, the Bible teaches that one must hear God’s word (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of past sins (Luke 13:3), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:10), and be baptized to be saved (1 Peter 3:21). Have you obeyed what God says you must do to be saved? Or, have you let men lead you down the wrong path for salvation?

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

The most important question ever asked is “What must I do to be saved?”  (Acts 16:30, 2:37)  Everyone who believes in God must ask this question at one time in his or her life.  Truly, no other source is better able to answer this question than the word of God, for it is able to save and sanctify the souls of men (James 1:21; Jn. 17:17, 8:32).  Therefore, what does the Bible teach one must do to be saved?

            The first step one must take to be saved is to hear God’s word.  “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17).  And, “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).  In the past I am afraid that we have under emphasized the importance of hearing God’s word.  But what does it mean to really hear God’s word?  Does it mean just listening to the word of God?  No.  By hearing God’s word, two things are meant.  First, hearing God’s word means that we recognize its authority.  As God said on the Mount of Transfiguration, “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear Him” (Mk. 9:7). The Bible is the ultimate and final authority in all matters of religion (Matt. 28:18ff, Col. 3:17, Jn. 12:48).  Second, hearing God’s word means that we give a diligent effort to study, search, seek and test.  In the process of hearing, one must use the reasoning capabilities God has given him to discern truth from error (I Thes. 5:21).  When hearing we need to be like the noble Bereans who “…received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11, ASV).  Let us all be careful and intelligent in how we hear (Lk. 8:18), what we hear (Mk. 4:24), and Who we hear (Mk. 9:7).

            The second step in the plan of salvation is belief.  Jesus said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will surely die in your sins” (Jn. 8:24).  However, belief alone will not save a person.  In fact, the word belief never means mental acceptance only.  Belief always means an active, obedient trust in God (Gal 5:6).  You and I understand this in every day life.  For example, if I wake up during the night with my house on fire, and I truly believe that it is on fire this belief alone will not save me.  I must take steps of action such as getting out of bed and running out of the house to be saved from the fire.  Likewise, there are steps of action associated with belief  that one must take to be saved.  It is so sad that there are thousands of denominational people who teach that all one must do to be saved is believe in Jesus and accept Him as your personal Savior.  Nothing could be further than the truth.  In fact, the only time belief/faith only is ever used in the Bible, James says faith alone will not save a person (James 2:24). 

            The third step in the plan of salvation is repentance.  In Luke 13:3 Jesus said, “unless you repent you shall all likewise perish.”  True repentance means that one has a changed will (Acts 3:19) that leads to a changed way of life (Lk. 3:8).  That means that the person who used to smoke, drink, fornicate or commit other sins makes up his mind not to do these things anymore, then proves it by living a pure life.

            The fourth step in the plan of salvation is confession.  “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10).  Unless one orally confesses before men that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, he will not be saved (Matt. 10:32-33).  Like Timothy, we must all make the good confession (I Tim. 6:12-13).

            The final step one must take to be saved is baptism.  Contrary to popular belief, the Bible does teach that baptism is essential and necessary for salvation.  Let the Bible speak on this matter.  “…Baptism now saves you…” (I Pet. 3:21).  “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mk. 16:16).  “Repent and be baptized…for the remission of your sins” (Acts 2:38).  “…Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he can not enter the kingdom of God “ (Jn. 3:5).  “…Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins…” (Acts 22:16).  Have you been immersed in water for the remission of your sins?  The Bible says you must.

            Truly, the Bible is very clear on the plan of salvation.  The question we must ask ourselves is “Have we truly obeyed the gospel?”  Have you obeyed the plan of salvation as the Bible teaches or is your salvation based on what your creed, confession of faith, pastor, or manual teaches?  May each of us examine our salvation to see if we have been saved as the Bible teaches (2 Cor. 13:5).

ABC’s of the Gospel

Recently I came across an advertisement that said for one to be saved he needed to meet the ABC’s of the gospel.  While it is true that the gospel plan of salvation is simple (Eph. 3:4), some are distorting what the ABC’s of the gospel really are.  The advertisement I recently encountered suggested that the ABC’s of the gospel were: Acknowledge your sin (Rom. 3:23), Believe in Christ (Rom. 10:9), & Call on Jesus (Rom. 10:13).  While these three steps are indeed necessary in the plan of salvation, to say they are the gospel plan of salvation in full is like saying the first three letters of the alphabet are the alphabet.  So much is left out with this plan of salvation that it is a false gospel.  Let me illustrate.

            One of the key letters in the gospel alphabet that has been left out is the letter “R” for repentance.  Jesus teaches us that we must not only acknowledge our sin but repent of it to be saved.  When asked about certain people who seemed to be receiving the vengeance of God for their sins Jesus said, “Unless you repent you shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).  Peter told first century Christians to “repent and be converted…” (Acts 3:19).  Repentance is an essential letter in the ABC’s of the gospel that is left out by many.

            Another importance letter in the ABC’s of the gospel that is left out by so many in our religious world is the letter “B” for baptism.  Most agree that belief is an important step in the plan of salvation.  However, the Lord made it very clear that baptism was just as essential to salvation as belief.  Jesus Himself said, “He that believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).  When asked how to relieve themselves of the sin of crucifying Christ, Peter told the crowd at Pentecost to “repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of your sin…” (Acts 2:38).  Peter later emphasized the essentiality of baptism when he said, “…baptism does now also save us” (1 Peter 3:21).  As we noted earlier one of the ABC’s of the gospel that has been purported among us is the letter “C” for call on Jesus.  We need to ask the question, “How does one call on Jesus biblically?”  The answer is very clearly found in Acts 22:16.  Ananias told Paul to “arise and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on the name of the Lord.”  How does one call on the name of the Lord biblically?  One calls on the Lord’s name by submitting to His will in baptism.  Many miss the ABC’s of the gospel and salvation itself because the leave out the essentiality of baptism.

            Another letter that is left out of the ABC’s of the gospel is the letter “F” for faithfulness.   Not only must one initially become a child of God, but he must also remain faithful to be saved.  Jesus said, “Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).  Jesus also said, “He that endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 10:22).  Faithfulness is also an important step in the ABC’s of the gospel.

            The Gospel plan of salvation is not a difficult plan to understand.  It is simple like the alphabet, but we must not leave any letters out of the alphabet or the plan of salvation to be correct.  May each of us search the Scriptures daily to make sure we have obeyed God’s plan of salvation (Acts 17:11)!    

The Sky is Falling...The Sky is Falling!

Do you remember the story of Chicken Little?  Chicken Little is sitting under a tree and suddenly an acorn hits him on the head.  Chicken Little then jumps to the conclusion that the sky is falling and the end of the world is coming.  Chicken Little runs around the farm telling all his friends about the sky falling and before you know it the whole farm is in an end-time uproar.  The moral to The Sky is Falling is simple: Don’t believe everything you hear.  Some in our religious world have a striking resemblance to Chicken Little and his impulsive assessment of world events.  They will say, “Look at the battle going on in Israel.  They are fighting again in the Gaza strip.  This means the world will end shortly.”  Are these battles really a sign of the end-times?  Absolutely not!  The Bible teaches no one can know when the world will end. 

            The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that no one knows when the end of time will be.  Jesus said, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Mt. 24:36).  Paul taught that the coming of the Lord would be sudden and unexpected.  He said, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thes. 5:2).  Paul also said the Lord’s coming/end of the world would be “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:52).  These passages teach us that no one knows or can know when the end of the world/coming of Christ will be.  If one cannot know the day or the hour, then it is utterly foolish to say that certain world events teach us the end is near.  You cannot know when Christ will come or when the world will end. 

            Another important factor to consider is the ongoing battle that has always existed in Israel.  A major reason why this end-time frenzy is occurring is because some propagating it are too young to remember or too unfamiliar with world history to realize there has always been fighting in Israel. The battle in Israel has been ongoing since the days of Isaac and Ishmael (Gen. 16:11-12).  This is not something new.  The sky is not falling.  Remember, you cannot know when Christ is coming (Mt. 24:36)!

            Just as the moral to The Sky is Falling is do not believe everything you hear, so the lesson for us is the same.  Just because someone gets on TV or Radio and preaches the end-times are near does not mean it is true.  Don’t believe everything you hear!  Rather, trust God and the Bible and live your life in such a way that when the Lord comes you will be ready.